Neck lines ― those horizontal bands that appear partway through life ― are natural and inevitable at any stage of life, but there are some external factors that can make lines look more pronounced than they necessarily need to be. And what’s more, there are some prescription-free skin care products readily available to help diffuse and fill some of the most obvious neck creases.
“Over time, collagen and elastin levels decrease and the skin quality deteriorates with the loss of these crucial skin proteins,” said Dr. Blair Murphy-Rose, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City.
This gradual collagen loss is typically what’s to blame for increased and deepened neck lines, volume loss and crepey skin texture. Murphy-Rose said that this appearance can also be referred to as “tech-neck,” when someone spends a lot of time with their head bent, which can cause creasing.
“The best ways to prevent fine lines due to ‘tech neck’ include improved posture with your head up rather than bent over,” she said.
She also said that all too often we apply skin care only to our face, forgetting our neck altogether. She suggests products and ingredients that protect the skin (like sunscreen) but will also boost the production of both the collagen and elastin proteins our skin is losing.
And though there are always in-office treatments to turn to, such as radio frequency and injectable fillers, you might find some improvement in the upcoming selection of products that dermatologists (including Murphy-Rose) recommended.
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New York-based dermatologist Robyn Gmyrekpreviously suggested this affordable pro-retinol cream to HuffPost addressing the signs of aging on the neck. According to Gmyrek, this is a good option for anyone who wants to get the benefit of retinol — an ingredient that can promote collagen production — but is worried about experiencing irritation thanks to the inclusion of centella asiatica, a hydrating skin soother.
Board-certified and New York City-based dermatologist Dr. Brendan Camp suggests applying daily moisturizer that contains sunscreen. This is because the sun accelerates the aging process by breaking out collagen and elastin in our skin.
Though Camp didn’t recommend a specific sun-protective moisturizer, Dorado Dermatology’s Dr. Julia Schwartz, a board-certified dermatologist based in Puerto Rico and dermatology advisor for Ro, likes RoC’s five-in-one multi-correction cream which includes broad spectrum SPF 30 and happens to be one of the most affordable items on our list. It’s a lightweight day cream packed with well-known hydrators like glycerin and shea butter, antioxidants like vitamin E and a complex claiming to firm skin.
Dr. Blair Murphy-Rose, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City, suggested this daily cream, also from RoC. The formula’s secret notable ingredient is what the brand calls a Hexyl-R Complex, which is meant to target skin thinning, volume loss and the appearance of fine lines. The luxe cream also contains a bevy of seed oils and butters to nourish and deeply hydrate.
Schwartz recommended this well-known neck tightening cream by StriVectin, a targeted creamcontaining spilanthol, an ingredient meant to strengthen skin, along with a patented peptide that’s exclusive to the brand.
“Peptides are skin care ingredients that act as building blocks of proteins. Improving levels of collagen and elastin can combat skin laxity,” Camp said.
Additionally, this neck cream can help brighten and even skin tone, diminishing the appearance of sunspots.
Kung also previously recommended this supercharged collagen-boosting serum formulated to make complexions dewy and plump so lines look less obvious and skin feels less dry. It uses a brand-exclusive 10% peptide complex as well as soothing aloe, collagen and hyaluronic acid, an tried-and-true humectant that helps to draw moisture into the skin to keep it hydrated.
“Consider wearing a scarf or neck gaiter made of lightweight UPF fabric,” Camp said. “Ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) fabrics provide protection by blocking the sun’s rays. Sun scarves and neck gaiters can complement an SPF moisturizer.”
Based on his suggestion, we found this gender-neutral bandana made from a soft and cool UPF fabric blocks 98% of the sun’s harmful UVA and UVB rays. It comes in four colors like black, apricot and white.
Another peptide-infused formula approved by Camp is this daily cream that, in addition to a triple peptide blend, contains a 0.2% concentration of slow-release retinol, a time-honored ingredient that accelerates the skin’s cellular turnover rate, promoting collagen production. Hydrating seed oils are supplemented with a 5% glaucine complex, a plant-derived ingredient that can support skin’s natural resistance to premature aging.
Dr. Elaine F. Kung, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Future Bright Dermatology in New York, previously said that “UV exposure breaks down collagen and elastin in skin that help it stay tight and firm. Once these fibers break down, the skin can loosen, thin and wrinkle.”
Kung (along with several other dermatologists in the past) previously suggested this sunscreen from Elta MD, which according to him, can also shield skin from visible UV rays in overhead lighting because of its tinted formula.
The zinc oxide- and octinoxate-based formula features SPF 46 along with high-purity niacinamide, a well-known anti-inflammatory that reduces redness and helps to restore damaged skin.
The product lineup from Revision Skincare has been brought to our attention before. Camp recommends the brand’s Nectifirm firming neck treatment — he said that it’s formulated with peptides (five different ones to be exact), plant extracts, antioxidants to make neck skin look firmer and more lifted.
This targeted neck treatment also contains the famed antioxidants vitamin C and E, barley extracts for reducing skin dryness and roughness.
Camp said that the ingredients in Perricone MD’s cold plasma neck treatment target fine lines and laxity to improve the appearance of aging and crepey skin. The brand’s innovative approach to skin firming can be found in this advanced and deeply nourishing moisturizer that features skin-plumping peptides, encapsulated caffeine and DMAE, a compound naturally produced in the brain that Perricone MD claims can lift and plump skin.
“Skincare Junkies Megadose face moisturizer combines antioxidant, anti-pollution, and anti-aging benefits into a silky lightweight moisturizer that won’t clog pores,” Murphy-Rose said of this dermatologist-developed cream. She explained that it contains a blend of coenzyme Q10, resveratrol, green tea and vitamin C — all of which work together to protect skin from premature skin aging and support collagen production.
“Ceramides and hyaluronic acid in a seven-molecular-weight blend hydrate and plump [skin],” she added. Murphy-Rose recommends using this every morning as a daily moisturizer, along with sunscreen.
NeoStrata’s Triple Firming neck cream, recommended by Schwartz, claims to target everything from uneven skin tone and texture to loss of elasticity underneath the chin, along the neck and along the décolletage. It features a pro-amino acid and neocitrate formula, an ingredient duo that works in tandem to target volume loss while a non-acid amino sugar tackles unwanted sun damage and discoloration.
According to Murphy-Rose, this “neck-perfecting” cream contains a smart combination of hydroxy acids and a uniquely formulated form of vitamin A that’s similar to retinol, but won’t cause excess irritation.
“It is a dermatologist favorite to boost collagen production, combat fine lines and improve tone and texture, and reverse hyperpigmentation,” she said.
You can also expect a whole host of ingredients that can improve the look and feel of skin from niacinamide, an faithful brightener, squalane, an emollient to help skin retain moisture and a targeted peptide to plump neck lines.